Electronic blackboard

ABSTRACT

A writing medium includes a board surface on which drawing is executed. A reader reads a drawing object drawn on the writing medium. A power supply switch is located at a front side of an electronic blackboard to execute an on/off operation of the electronic blackboard. A data port is located right above the power supply switch to output the read drawing data to a removable exterior storage medium.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 11/893,278, filedAug. 15, 2007, which is based on Japanese Priority Document P2006-230699filed on Aug. 28, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic blackboard, especially,relates to an electronic blackboard which has a writing medium having aboard surface on which a drawing object such as a letter, a diagram orthe like can be drawn, a reader for reading the drawing object on thewriting medium, and a data port for outputting the read drawing data toa removable exterior storage medium.

2. Discussion of Related Art

There is an electronic blackboard, which stores a drawing object such asa letter, a diagram or the like drawn on a writing surface as drawingdata into an exterior memory. FIG. 8 shows a perspective view showing aconventional electronic blackboard. The electronic blackboard 500 has arectangular frame 510 supported by a stand 501, at which an endless-typesheet member 502 is arranged. The sheet member 502 forms a writingsurface 503, on which a drawing object such as a letter, a diagram orthe like is drawn, at a front opening of the frame 510. The electronicblackboard 500 has an optical reader (not shown) for optically readingthe drawing object drawn on the sheet member 502 and for outputtingdrawing data corresponding to the read drawing object. With the opticalreader, the drawing object such as a letter, a diagram or the like drawnon the sheet member 502 can be printed out to a paper by a printer 504.Further, while the electronic blackboard 500 prints out by the printer504 the drawing object such as a letter, a diagram or the like read bythe optical reader, the electronic blackboard 500 stores the drawingdata to an exterior memory such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memoryor the like. Conventionally, there is a printer 504 which provides a USBport 508 at a front side thereof.

Japanese Laid Open Publication No. 2004-15619 discloses an electronicblackboard which includes a sheet member on which a drawing object suchas a letter, a diagram or the like are drawn, an optical reader foroptically reading the drawing object drawn on the sheet member and foroutputting drawing data corresponding to the read drawing object, amemory for storing the drawing data outputted from the optical reader,and an output part for providing an output corresponding to the drawingobject based on the drawing data stored in the memory, wherein theoutput part includes a multipurpose exterior storage medium removablyconnected thereto, and the exterior storage medium stores image data asthe output.

Also, Japanese Laid Open Publication No. 2006-12040 discloses aninformation processing system in which a USB terminal is adaptable asthe output part and a USB memory is usable as the exterior storagemedium.

According to the conventional electronic blackboard described above, alocated position of the USB port, to which the USB memory as theexterior memory is connected, is provided at a position near a printer,for example, where the drawing data is taken in easily. Therefore, it isnot always convenient for usage of the USB memory.

That is, the position of the USB port is not recognized at a glance whenthe USB memory is inserted, and the inserted USB memory is oftenforgotten to be removed from the USB port after use of the electronicblackboard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide anelectronic blackboard, which enables a connection port of an exteriormemory such as a USB memory or the like to be recognized clearly, andwhich prevents the connected exterior memory from being forgotten to beremoved.

To achieve the object of the present invention, an electronic blackboardof the present invention is provided which includes: (i) a writingmedium including a board surface on which a drawing is executed, (ii) areader for reading a drawing object drawn on the writing medium, (iii) apower supply switch located at a front surface side of the electronicblackboard, for executing an on/off operation of the electronicblackboard, and (iv) a data port located right above the electronicpower supply switch, for outputting a read drawing data into a removableexterior storage medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of theattendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic blackboard withrespect to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plane view schematically showing an internal structure ofthe electronic blackboard;

FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showing an internal part of theelectronic blackboard

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a hardware structure of theblackboard;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a right bottom side corner memberto which a USB memory has not yet been inserted;

FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing the right, bottom side cornermember to which the USB memory has been inserted;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view showing the right bottom side cornermember with a USB port and a power supply switch;

FIG. 7 is a front view showing the right bottom side corner member witha USB port and a power supply switch; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a conventional electronicblackboard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with referenceto FIGS. 1 to 7.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic blackboard withrespect to the embodiment of the present invention. The electronicblackboard 100 has a rectangular frame 110, which is supported by a pairof stands 101 and 101. The frame 110 houses an endless-type writingscreen 102. A part of the screen 102, which is exposed from an openingpart of a front side of the frame 110, is a writing surface 103 as aboard surface on which a drawing object such as a letter, a diagram orthe like is drawn. A polyethylene screen is adopted as the screen 102,for example. A printer 104 for printing and issuing a drawing object,which has been read by a CCD line sensor 304 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), on apaper (not shown) is provided at a right bottom of the frame 110.

The frame 110 has an upper peripheral part 111 located at an upper partof the writing surface 103, a left side peripheral part 112 and a rightside peripheral part 113 located at both sides of the writing surface103, and a bottom platform 114 located at a bottom part of the writingsurface 103 and protruded into a front direction.

The upper peripheral part 111, and the left side peripheral part 112 andthe right side peripheral part 113 are connected via a left side cornermember 115 and a right side corner member 116 located at both sides ofthe upper peripheral part 111. The bottom platform 114 is connected tothe left side peripheral part 112 and the right side peripheral part 113via a left bottom side corner member 117 and a right bottom side cornermember 120 located at bottom part of the left side peripheral part 112and the right side peripheral part 113, respectively.

The bottom platform 114 is protrudedly formed at a more front positionthan the writing surface 103, and a maker pen and an eraser can beplaced thereon. Moreover, the bottom platform 114 has a function forcatching an ink scum, which occurs when a drawing object on the writingsurface 103 is erased by the eraser.

An operation panel 106 having various keys 105 for operating theelectronic blackboard 100 is integrally provided at the right sideperipheral part 113 of the frame 110.

A power supply switch 141 for executing an on/off operation of theelectronic blackboard 100 and a USB port 142 as a data port, to which aUSB memory is connected, are arranged at the right bottom side cornermember 120.

That is, the power supply switch 141 is arranged at a front side of theelectronic blackboard 100 and the USB port 142 is located right abovethe power supply switch 141.

FIG. 2 is a plane view schematically showing an internal structure ofthe electronic blackboard. FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showingan internal part of the electronic blackboard.

A pair of rollers 201 for rolling and conveying the screen 102 isprovided at right and left end parts within the frame 110. The rollers201 have a core shaft in an up and down direction. The endless-typescreen 102 is stretched over the pair of rollers 201. A motor 202 (seeFIG. 4) is connected to one of the rollers 102 via a belt transmissionmechanism (not shown). When the motor 202 drives, the rollers 201 arerolled via the belt transmission mechanism. The screen 102 is rolled andconveyed in the right and left direction by a rotation of the rollers102.

A writing board 251 for ensuring writability with respect to the writingsurface 103 is provided just behind the writing surface 103 of thescreen 102.

A reader 203 for reading a drawing object such as a letter, a diagram orthe like drawn on the writing surface 103 as drawing data is provided atan opposite side of the writing surface 103 of the screen 102(hereinafter, it is called as a back surface side of the screen 102).The reader 203 has a light source 301 for emitting a light to the screen102. The light source 301 includes a fluorescent light 311 and islocated at the back surface side of the screen 102 and is located at oneof the rollers 201.

The electronic blackboard 100 has a mirror 302 and a lens 303 as a partof the reader 203. Further, the electronic blackboard 100 has an opticalsystem 305 as a reduction optical system for collecting a light emittedfrom the light source 301 and reflected by the screen 102, and a CCDline sensor 304 for receiving the collected light by the optical system305.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a hardware structure of the electronicblackboard. The electronic blackboard 100 has a CPU 401 for controllingvarious operations. A ROM 402 for storing fixed data such as acontrolling program or the like, and a RAM 403 for temporally storingvarious data and being used as a work area are connected to the CPU 401via a bus line 411. A printer 104, an operation panel 106, and a motor202 are connected to the CPU 401 via respective input/output circuits(none are shown) and the bus line 411.

A lighting circuit 405 connected to the light source 301, forcontrolling a lighting of the light source 301 is connected to the CPU401 via the bus line 411.

An image processor 404 for converting the drawing data read by the CCDline sensor 304 to printing data (GIF format data, for example) isconnected to the CPU 401 via the bus line 411. The image processor 404is connected to the CCD line sensor 304 and is constituted by variousprocessing circuits, a memory, in which a setting condition which isreferred when various processing are executed, is stored (none areshown), or the like.

A USB port 142 is connected to the CPU 401 via a USB controller 406 andthe bus line 411.

As shown in FIG. 4, a power supply controller 408 for controlling apower supply device, which provides each part with electric power, islocated in the electronic blackboard 100. An on/off operation of theelectronic blackboard 100 is executed by an operation of the powersupply controller 408 by the power supply switch 141.

With the structure described above, when a certain key 105, which theoperation panel 106 has, is pressed, the CPU 401 of the electronicblackboard 100 executes a printing processing of the printer 104according to an operation program stored in the ROM 402. First of all,the light source 301 is turned on by an operation of the lightingcircuit 405, and the motor 202 rotatably drives. Thereby, a light isemitted to the writing surface 103 of the screen 102. Then, the opticalsystem 305 collects a reflection light from the writing surface 103, andthe reflected light is received by the CCD line sensor 304 by every lineso that a drawing object such as a letter, a diagram or the like drawnon the writing surface 103 is read as drawing data. The read drawingdata is converted into printing data by the image processor 404 andstored in the RAM 403. Then, an image based on the printing data storedin the RAM 403 is printed on a paper by a driving control of the printer104, and the paper is discharged.

Also, when a certain key 105, which the operation panel 106 has, ispressed, drawing data in GIF format, for example, stored in the RAM 403is transferred from the USB port 142 to a USB memory 150 via the USBcontroller 406.

Next, the right bottom side corner member 120 where the power supplyswitch 141 and the USB port 142 are located will be explained.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing the right bottom side cornermember to which a USB memory has not yet been inserted. FIG. 5B is aperspective view showing the right bottom side corner member to whichthe USB memory has been inserted. FIG. 6 is a cross sectional viewshowing the right bottom side corner member with a USB port and a powersupply switch. FIG. 7 is a front view showing the right bottom sidecorner member with a USB port and a power supply switch.

The right bottom side corner member 120 is a member integrally formed bya synthetic resin. The power supply switch 141 and the USB port 142 arelocated at the right bottom side corner member 120. A protruded part 121is protrudedly formed at a more front position (at an operator side: aleft central side in FIG. 6) than the frame 110. An upper connector 122,to which a bottom end of the right side peripheral part 113 isconnected, is formed at an upper part of the protruded part 121. A leftside connector 123, to which a right end of the bottom platform 114 isconnected to, is formed at a left side of the protruded part 121. Thenumeric mark 129 in the figure shows a protrusion for a connection ofthe right side peripheral part 113, which is extensionally provided fromthe left side peripheral part 112.

A power supply switch setting part 124, where the power supply switch141 is located, is formed at the protruded part 121 of the right bottomside corner member 120. The power supply switch 141 is attached fromwithin the right bottom side corner member 120. The operation part 141 aof the power supply switch 141 is arranged so as to protrude outwardlyfrom the power supply switch setting part 124. As shown in FIG. 6, aposition “b” of an exterior surface of the power supply switch settingpart 124 is formed at a more front position (at an operator side: leftcentral side in FIG. 6) than a position “a” of the screen 102.

A USB port setting part 125 where the USB port 142 is located is formedat a right above part of the power supply switch setting part 124. TheUSB port setting part 125 is formed at a back end part of a protrudedperipheral wall 127. An insertion space 126 for surrounding a peripheryof a USB memory is formed inside the peripheral wall 127.

The USB port 142 is arranged such that its front end surface 142 a isconnected to the USB port setting part 125, and a terminal insertionhole 143 of the USB port 142 is opened at a back side of the insertionspace 126.

As shown in FIG. 6, a position “c” of a front end of the peripheral wall127 is formed at a more front position (at an operator side: a leftcentral side in FIG. 6) than a position “b” of a surface of the powersupply switch setting part 124.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the USB memory 150 is in a status that a connectingterminal 151 is connected to the terminal insertion hole 143 while theconnecting terminal 151 is inserted into the insertion space 126.

Accordingly, according to the electronic blackboard 100 of theembodiment of the present invention, the USB port 142 is arranged rightabove the power supply switch 141 which is operated at a beginning useand a termination of the electronic blackboard 100. Therefore, the USBport of the USB memory is surely recognized at the beginning use of theelectronic blackboard 100. Further, at the termination of the electronicblackboard 100, it is prevented that a removal of an external memorydevice is forgotten.

Further, since the front end of the peripheral wall 127, to which anoperator's finger may contact when the USB memory 150 is inserted, islocated at a more front position than the power supply switch 141, itcan be prevented that the power switch 141 is wrongly operated.

Still further, it can be prevented that an ink scum, which occurs when adrawing object such as a letter, a diagram or the like drawn on thewriting surface 103 is erased, enters into the power supply switch 141or the USB port 142.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein.

1. An electronic blackboard, comprising: a writing medium including aboard surface on which a drawing is executed, a reader for reading adrawing object drawn on the writing medium, a power supply switchlocated at a front surface side of the electronic blackboard, forexecuting an on/off operation of the electronic blackboard, and a dataport formed at a back end part of a protrusion part protruded into afront direction from the board surface of the writing medium, foroutputting read drawing data to a removable exterior storage medium. 2.The electronic blackboard, according to claim 1, wherein the data portis located at a corner member which connects a bottom platform locatedat a bottom peripheral of the writing medium and a side peripheral partformed at one of side peripheral parts of the writing medium.
 3. Theelectronic blackboard, according to claim 1, wherein an operation panelfor operating the electronic blackboard is provided at a right sideperipheral part formed at a right side peripheral part of the writingmedium, and the data port is located at a right bottom side cornermember located at bottom part of the right side peripheral part.